The official blog of Jennifer McCreath, Canadian trans activist, marathon runner, and multi-time political candidate. info@jennifermccreath.com

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Government rejects Citizen's Rep recommendation to remove doctor

I am quite disgusted at what appears to be a sad case of the Newfoundland Government health care system, trying to save face, at the expense of patients. Say what you want about inmates, but they are human beings and they deserve equal health care as everyone else - as per the principles of our health care system.

Well, turns out a Dr Craig has been taking inmates off antidepressants that had previously been prescribed to them. this lead the patients to suffer undue hardship to the point where the Office of the Citizens' Representative accepted and investigated their complaints to the point that they recommended that this doctor be removed!

Well, Government has fired back with a 'peer review' on this doctor, which assessed his work and determined that he had followed protocol. Well, that's fine, but it doesn't solve the problem. If this doctor is ceasing depression meds, is the government saying that the initial doctors erred in prescribing the meds in the first place? and what about the policies? yes, maybe Doctor Craig followed the policies, but what if these policies are the problem??

Bottom line, we have documented evidence that Craig's actions have lead patients into violent and suicidal tenancies; yet the Government is saying this is ok?

So, why am i interested? well, sometimes old policies need to be challenged. In my case as a trans person, i found myself treating a medical condition that is globally recognized, yet was not recognized by my medical system due to their out of date policies.

what bugs me even more, is that mental health patients are now being used as political pawns, much like I and other trans people are, in terms of the political issue of human rights. It also disgusts me to see folks who supposedly care about the patients, stepping up and taking action or making statements that cover their own ass, rather than solve the core problem.

What is really sad, is that this Citizen's Rep has no true power. they do not have Order power - only recommendation power. The Government can, and essentially has, laughed at their report and pissed on it. I say shame to that!